The subject matter described herein relates to a shirt or garment which covers the upper torso of a wearer. Specifically, embodiments are directed to a support shirt providing support along the chest and shoulder regions of the wearer. The support shirt can be used for a variety of sporting or work activities where support of the chest and shoulders is desired. One such application of the support shirt is a bench press shirt for support in weightlifting activities.
Bench press shirts provide an increase in the amount of weight a bench presser can lift as well as increased safety to the bench presser. Typically, bench press shirts are made of high strength materials, such as double knit polyester, canvas or denim which are designed to fit the wearer tightly. Such bench press shirts have portions covering the upper arms and chest which typically provide a taut fit during lifting. Bench press shirts can also be made of spandex type fabric and be effective for support. As distinguished from ordinary shirts or t-shirts, bench press shirts have at least one area of increased support/strength, designed to augment movement of a body part by increased strength of material and/or compression.
In a bench pressing exercise, a weightlifter lies substantially flat on his back, with arms upraised. The weightlifter lowers a weight to the chest, and then pushes it vertically upward until the arms are straight. The tautness in a typical bench press shirt provides assistance and increased support for the underlying muscles, thereby allowing the weightlifter to lift more weight.
Weightlifting shirts typically provide a peak area of support from the bench press, referred to as a “support bubble.” Typically, the lifter tries to push the weight upward in line with the support bubble of the bench press shirt. Shirt and lifter do not always have the perfect peak support area, so the lifter adjusts the bar path as much as possible to meet the peak of the shirt's support bubble. Moreover, the lifter can adjust the fitting position of the shirt to match the lifter's bar path. For example, the lifter could adjust the position of the neck band of a bench press shirt, or could adjust the position of the sleeves in relation to the lifter's deltoid muscles. Lifters can also employ both techniques of adjusting the bar path in combination with adjusting the fitting position of the shirt. Moreover, such shirts often do not have shoulder reinforcement that would provide adequate support for the lifter during elevation and descent of a weight through the bar path.
Other problems exist in prior art bench press shirts. During a bench press exercise, slack exists in the material of the shirt just below the lifter's arm from the front deltoid muscle. The slack material tightens as the bar is lowered. Additionally bench press shirts may tear or shred at the shoulder seams and neck area where most the stress occurs. Thus, a problem that exists in the construction of prior art bench shirts is the lack of support across the shoulders of the wearer throughout the bar path of a bench press exercise.
Attempts have been made to provide a bench press shirt providing such support. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,235 relates to a shirt wherein the circumference and tightness of the area across the upper torso is less than that of the area around the waist. Other designs focus on the type of material and configuration of the compressible fabrics used across the upper chest. Such designs employ fabric or material across the shirt which fails to reinforce the front portion of the shoulder during the bench press exercise. Additionally, such designs fail to provide support to the shoulders which allows the weightlifter a full range of motion and support in shoulders and chest through the bar path. As a result, the lifter must expend additional energy to manually correct and stabilize the weight through the bar path. Therefore, a need exists for a support shirt which provides support across the shoulders and chest of the wearer through the bar path of a bench press exercise. A need also exists for a support shirt which provides support across the shoulders and chest of a wearer for a variety of sporting and work activities involving the lifting of weights or heavy objects.